Climber
Tahoe City, CA
Age: 40

An accomplished climber, the 40-year-old Teare, of Tahoe City, California, brings much experience to the team. He completed a new route during seven days on Kangtega's Northeast Ridge in the mid-1980s, also has climbed Ganjapurna, behind Annapurna. On Everest, he climbed a new route on the East Face to the South Col, but became sick and had to return solo down the face. A partner, Stephen Venables, reached the summit.

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Teare was born in Western Canada, in the Vancouver area, and moved with his family to California's Lake Tahoe area, where he climbed extensively since high school, starting in 1969. He took in Donner's Pass, Lover's Leap, Yosemite, the Sierras. Something that has distinguished his alpine climbing is the fact that before he rock climbed, he learned to ice climb. He also has climbed extensively in Alaska. Several years ago, Wayne Wallace asked him to go to K2, though he favors small alpine-style teams. "My ethics are somewhat comprised with this expedition because I'm used to small groups and new routes," Teare says. "But the North Ridge of K2 is so beautiful a route, I'm putting my ethics aside to climb this. I probably won't get a chance to climb it with a small team." After K2, he plans to go to Ama Dablam with Pete Athans.